Free agent forward OG Anunoby intends to sign a five-year contract worth $212.5MM to remain with the Knicks, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
The deal, which can be officially completed once the moratorium period ends on July 6, will feature a fifth-year player option and a trade kicker, according to Wojnarowski. It will be the largest contract in Knicks history, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.
It’s the second huge move the Knicks have made in the past 24 hours. On Tuesday night, the team reached an agreement with the Nets to acquire Mikal Bridges for a package that includes five future first-round picks and a pick swap. Between Bridges and Anunoby, New York will head into the 2024/25 season armed with two of the league’s best three-and-D players on the wing.
The Knicks acquired Anunoby from Toronto in December for a package headed by Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. The former Raptor made an immediate impact with his new team, helping New York win 12 of his first 14 games before an elbow injury sidelined him for several weeks.
Anunoby had a positive on/off-court rating in each of the 23 regular season games he ended up playing for the Knicks, with the club registering an incredible +21.7 net rating during his 802 minutes on the court. Both the Knicks’ offensive rating (122.6) and defensive rating (100.9) during those minutes would’ve ranked first in the NBA.
In 50 total games for New York and Toronto last season, Anunoby averaged 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in 34.0 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .489/.382/.753. He made the All-Defensive Second Team in 2023 but didn’t qualify in 2024 due to the NBA’s new 65-game rule.
Injuries have long been a issue for the defensive star, who has missed 29, 34, 15, and 32 games in the past four regular seasons and was unavailable for most of the Eastern Conference semifinals vs. Indiana due to a hamstring ailment. Those health concerns were thought to be a factor that might keep his overall payday this offseason in check, but that certainly won’t be the case.
While Anunoby isn’t signing a maximum-salary deal (which would have been worth a projected $245MM+), his deal with the Knicks will average $42.5MM per season, based on Wojnarowski’s report, which is higher than his projected maximum starting salary ($42.3MM). The five-year, $212.5MM contract will also exceed the maximum offer that any rival suitor could have made to the 26-year-old ($182MM over four years).
According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), Anunoby might have had max offers on the table from other suitors, but wanted to help build a title contender in New York.
Depending on how the Bridges trade ends up being structured, the Knicks will be hard-capped at either the first tax apron (approximately $178.7MM) or the second apron ($189.5MM) for the 2024/25 league year. A first-apron hard cap would make the Anunoby contract a tighter fit, but based on the terms reported by Woj, it could start as low as $36.64MM. It’s also worth noting that early reports often overstate the actual value of the completed deal, so Anunoby’s starting salary could even come in a little below that.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), New York’s team salary currently projects to be about $6.6MM below the first apron with 11 players under contract (including the team’s two first-round picks), but that figure will remain fluid until deals are officially completed.
Anunoby had been the No. 5 free agent on our top-50 list. Three players in our top 10 – Anunoby, his former teammate Pascal Siakam, and Kings guard Malik Monk – have now reached tentative agreements to remain with their current teams ahead of the start of the free agent period on Sunday.
GO KNICKS
The King Buddha
June 25, 2024
OG is gone
?????!!!!?????????????!!!!!!??????
The Buddha must leave NOW ……
I got real Buddha and I’m burning you now,
Knicks tiene buena Punteriaaaa ……
Sucks to be you
I mean, you said every team the Celtics played in the playoffs was going to push them hard and you were wrong every time. And you’re still here.
Say clown …. I wipe my with your comments. What’s wrong with wanting a team to play Celtics or any team well in Playoffs. I guess you stop watching sports when your team is out…….
Now write this down on your pillow. So you can dream of proving me wrong clown.
I can’t wait for Celtics to play Knicks. If we were healthy. We might have taken them out this yr. Now it’s a SURE thing. Don’t get lost ….,
Since you like my posts. Bring up the one from KP trade. When I said Celtics and Bucks are top now. Then when they got Jrue. And I said it’s Celtics and Nuggets now. It’s called a fan of ball. Now swallow slowly
I already muted him. Great off-season Ny. Outstanding
Nice.
Brunson, Bridges, OG, Randle, and Robinson is a really good starting 5. Could be best defensive team in the league.
Now just need to draft a couple big bodies with their first round picks and a backup PG in the 2nd and their bench will be much improved as well.
Gotta be trading Julius Randle somewhere. He doesn’t fit that team at all rn. Sac, Philly, Detroit could be possible trade partners
Not a must that Randle gets moved. He’s developed his 3 game since coming to NYK. So not like he’s a liability at the 4 like some other guys that are limited to 15 ft or less jump shots.
Will he have to accept a lesser role offensively while still providing rebounding? Yeah probably.
Just like OG will have to focus more on his 3 and D game since everyone is gonna see less touches with Bridges in the fold.
Not necessarily a bad thing but gonna take a minute for guys use to being 1 or 2 options to see a reduction offensively.
Why would they ? Julius is a great 2nd/3rd scoring option, and carried the team during the regular season, before trades/injuries
They’re running the same scheme, that hasn’t changed, your assumption is that DD or Hart should be in the starting 5 ?
Well, not if they are leading the second unit and giving OG and everybody else ample rest
In the a long season, and they broke down at the end of it. They’ll run it back for one year
Then Julius will be an impending FA.
They’ll move him next year if it doesn’t work
lmao Randle is not going anywhere. How does he not fit? Plays hard, plays defense, scores, works best as a #2 instead of the main focus. Brunson takes so much pressure off of him and now Bridges will ease it even more. He’s a great fit.
Knicks have best 2way players in the game. It’s all on Thibs.
“In Thibs we Trust”
GooooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllLL
You mean other than Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown? Right?
Please stop embarrassing yourself ……
Go start a Big3 site ……….
Yeah you are not embarrassing yourself at all? Right?
“Knicks have best 2way players in the game.”
This is a very solid and reasonable statement.
Maybe dont drink all the cool aid?
When was the last time the Knicks won anything?
Or Thibs?
Reasonable…
Miles McBride is our backup PG.
Definitely need a big or two.
That’s a huge amount of money but whatever. Had to be done. It’s Dolan’s money. It’s just nice to be pumped and excited as a Knicks fan.
It’s exciting not even being a Knicks fan , always better when MSG is is buzzing . Takes you back to the late 90s
The defense and scoring options along with depth is going to give teams fits…Celts included. Loving these moves.
Just the fact you’re talking about the Celtics when signings like these are made is sweet.
They won, didn’t they? Credit when due. Perfectly constructed team and it showed.
Knicks need Dunn for Tatum. OG and Dunn can give him fits.
I am sorry I have to ask because you decided to say crazy things.
Are you referring to Kris Dunn?
We’re living in the day and age my friend where Bums and water boys in the NBA get a bad so we had no choice but to give the guy QG who single handly changed the Knick culture just like Jalen Brunson did. This squad is going be a problem if we can stay healthy. Time for Leon Rose to send the often injured Mitchell Robinson packing so we can free up some room to resign Hartentein. We use to always crave wing depth now we have Mikal Bridges and Og Anuaby two of the best two way players in the league. Let’s go Knicks.
Nice , seems it should start at around 37-38 so they can still slip apron 2 !
Hopefully they can get a hop on or 2 for vet min
. **Oh your gonna get hop ons
OMG YES. Please IHART you’re next Please. NY is where you belong. Don’t chase dollars or a ring elsewhere.
They can’t sign IHart anymore. Not after these moves. Unless they trade away serious salary.
Also where is the King Buddha doofus who kept posting “OG is gone” in the Mikal Bridges thread? Turns out you have no clue, buddy!
Probably making a new account
Yep, just yesterday he claimed OG is gone.
Cut that man some slack lol. Nobody knew he was going to sign for this much. Especially since the trade they made yesterday.
Everyone knew he was getting $40MM+, even if some realized he wasn’t worth that much with his injury history. But if anything, yesterday’s trade made that even more likely because you knew the Knicks were committed to going for it. That meant paying OG whatever it took.
Slow burn ………
OG is gone alright …… OG gone get PAID
OG gone right to the bank to cash some Dolan checks!
Great. Now trade Julius Randle for Cole Anthony & Johnathan Isaac and the chip is yours next year!
No trade the often injured no offense having center we have by the name of Mitchell Robinson. Randle is a nightmare match-up for teams with all the shooters in our lineups now.
Everyone with a clue knew this was going to happen. The Knicks are all in as indicated by the price they paid to get Bridges.
Does anyone think Donte is upset by trade? He’s now on the bench. How about Precious do they have money for him? Can Sims play great with a larger role
Donte Divincenzo is a great combo guard off the bench. Does a little bit of everything but is not a star enough to be a starter on a championship contender. Great defense perfect disruptor off the bench, nice shooting. Knick’s looking very good.
Not sure about Precious. Will someone else offer him more money than the Knicks think he deserves?
Zion Williamson has non-guaranteed deal: See Below
IF Zion plays in at least 41 games in 2024-25, another 40% of his 2025-26 salary will become guaranteed. If he plays in at least 51 games, another 20% would be guaranteed on top of that. If he plays in at least 61 games, then his entire 2025-26 salary will be guaranteed.
What the hell does that have to do with this post and signing?
The bot is outta control
2nd overpay in as many days for the Knicks.
Knicks Owner James Dolan Is the Einstein.
Once upon a time, Dolan gave Allan Houston, a good-not-great shooting guard $100 million contract when Houston was 30. Houston wound up not playing his final two seasons.
You mean the guy who helped them get to the finals? And while he missed time, there’s a thing called insurance.
Einstein.
And once upon a time Alan Houston played a intergal part in a 8 seed Knicks going all tbe way to the NBA Finals. Alan Houston was not a bum. That jump shot was lethal and we can’t ever forget him being the hero of that Miami series. That part.
Mikal Bridges and OG are the best three-and-D players on the wing.
Hartenstein,
What do you think?
Draymond for Randle. NYK needs an Oakley 2.0.
Let me say heellllllll no to that. Randle is much better.
All in.
Hope he plays at least half of the season.
Toronto has great track of drafting and developing players into max contracts….
As a day 1 Raptors this is so sadly accurate.
Imagine if Camby, Vince, McGrady and Stoudemire all stuck around enough to at least overlap in a meaningful way?!?
Imitation is the best form of flattery.
How good is this kid Jokubaitis? Can he back up Brunson next year?
Updated New York Wildcats depth chart
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Mikal Bridges
SF OG Anunoby
PF Julius Randle
C Mitchell Robinson
G Mile McBride
Wing Donate DiVincenzo
Wing Josh Hart
F/C Precious Achiuwa
Pending Isaiah Hartenstein
Pa is a fa
I believe they may attempt to sign him with a slot. I thought he did well. When he didn’t it was because he was out of position/over matched.
Sphere money ……. come get some
To all the Haters. I mean the DAMrs who flame and troll Knicks ……..
Swallow slowly ……. Father Knickerbocker is coming out your Aaa
This gotta be spike lee burner account
The sphere lost $194M in its first quarter. I don’t think anyone is getting any of it any time soon.
A couple of bench guys taking the vet minimum to help fill in around the edges, and with a little more shooting, the Knicks will be legit title contenders if they can stay healthy.
That could prove to be a big IF, but Thibs has to deepen his rotation and understand he’s playing the long game.
I would be jacked if I was a Knicks fan right now
GooooooooollllllllllllLLLL
Knicks got game ……..
Knicks got link to music.youtube.com
A lot of money for a guy who can barely dribble.
I see Father Knickerbocker just came out ….
wash lol ……
OmG good congrats on the generational wealth. Knicks took it to that next level. Right now them and the Celtics are the cream of the crop. Not because they have the best player but the most talented team. Having 7-8 really good players who play defense now trumps 3 offensive superstars.
This is the type of overpay to make. Youngish player, perfect team fit, doesn’t need the ball in his hands, makes the team a legit contender. Had to be done.
Good for them. Knicks are for real especially since OG stayed. Should they trade Randle? Hartenstein will likely get a better deal elsewhere. Valencunas an option? Jalen Smith?
Randle’s role on the team has never been more secure. Unless he squawks over his contract, which I doubt happens. The NYK have acquired guys who aren’t true first or second offensive options. The roster is locked at the top at this point, so that’s still Randle’s job and no replacement is walking through the door unless it’s in a trade involving Randle. So many restrictions on that in apron land (where we now live), it would be highly unlikely.
Wow NYK overpaid for a good player, not a star, like Bridges… & now they have massively overpaid another good player… them books are gonna look pretty nasty, a lot of luxury tax to pay… but if, big if, they win it will be worth, right?
I like him,but too injury prone. Hope he can plays 60 games and ready for playoff.but now knicks have depth.hope hartenstein goes to the bulls.
Another reason why the NBA is unwatchable. Guys getting over $200m who average 14 points. I get this is the time we live and if that’s what the market says, then ok. But it’s very hard to match a game where mediocre players are paid like kings and rarely have anything nice to say about the country that gave these opportunities.